The Secrets of Tymfi and Vikos NEW

The day starts with a good breakfast, after which we set off on an exhilarating walk through the Vikos gorge, one of the deepest in the world. Along the path we are surrounded by imposing rock walls, ancient forest and curious formations, as we follow the riverbed, which in places reveals crystal-clear water. After hours in wild country we reach the village of Vikos - a real mountain jewel set among green hills, with stone houses in the traditional style. We check into a welcoming family hotel, where we freshen up and enjoy a home-cooked dinner in warm and hospitable surroundings.

After breakfast we shoulder our packs and head up into the Tymfi mountains. Although close to 950 m of ascent lies ahead, the steady gradient and pleasant path make the walk comfortable. Around three hours later we reach the col where the hut stands. Before we have even taken our packs off, a breathtaking view opens over the summits and the deep valleys around us. Time for a well-earned rest and a fragrant coffee with a panorama. After a short break we set off for Dragon Lake - Drakolimni - an hour and a half from the hut. This alpine jewel, with its characteristic green-blue colour and the shape of an eye, is home to the mysterious alpine newts, the miniature "dragons" of Tymfi. From its shore, fearsome sheer slopes drop away towards the Vikos gorge and the mountain's highest summit, Gamila. Once we have taken in the magic of the place we return to the hut for a rest, a hot dinner and a comfortable night amid the raw but magnificent landscape of Tymfi.

The long-awaited moment has come - time to climb the highest summit of Tymfi, Gamila (2,497 m). The path passes striking rock formations, and after about three hours we reach the highest point of Tymfi. From the summit, breathtaking panoramas open out - sheer walls, pinnacles and mountain lakes, Drakolimni among them. After a short rest we return to the hut to freshen up and have a light lunch, after which we begin the descent to Papingo. Before checking in we call at the natural pools set into the rock beside the village - an ideal spot for a short rest and a swim. In the evening we walk the cobbled streets of Papingo and round the day off with dinner in a welcoming taverna.

Note: if the group would like to and there is enough time, we can also climb Gamila 2 before descending to the hut.

After four days in the mountains, the final day is easy and restorative. We take a relaxed breakfast in Papigo and set off, stopping on the way out at the finest stone bridges of Zagori. Near the village of Kipi lies the most striking cluster of them — the single-arched Kokkoros (Noutsos), curving above the river, and the famous three-arched Kalogeriko, also known as the Plakidas bridge, whose three spans follow the terrain like a wave turned to stone. A short walk between them lets us see them up close and take the last photographs of the trip. After lunch at a local tavern we head back toward Bulgaria, carrying with us the memory of Tymfi, Vikos and Drakolimni.